Judy D. Olian, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was appointed as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden Monday.

Judy D. Olian, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was appointed as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden Monday.

Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Image 2 of 5

Judy D. Olian, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was appointed as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden Monday.

Judy D. Olian, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was appointed as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden Monday.

Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Image 3 of 5

Judy D. Olian, left, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, meets Hamden Mayor Curt Leng, center, after her appointment as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden was announced Monday.

Judy D. Olian, left, dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, meets Hamden Mayor Curt Leng, center, after her appointment as the ninth president of Quinnipiac University in Hamden was announced Monday.

Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Image 4 of 5

Judy D. Olian, dean and John E. Anderson Chair of Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, has been appointed the ninth president of Quinnipiac University.

Judy D. Olian, dean and John E. Anderson Chair of Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, has been appointed the ninth president of Quinnipiac University.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 5 of 5

Quinnipiac University selects Olian as first new new president in 30 years

1 / 5

Back to Gallery

HAMDEN — Quinnipiac University named its ninth university president Monday to succeed President John Lahey after 31 years of leading the school.

Judy D. Olian, chair of management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, was introduced to the university community in an afternoon announcement in the Mount Carmel Auditorium.The university board of trustees voted unanimously Monday morning to select Olian, who will succeed Lahey beginning July 1, 2018.

“I express to each of you profound gratitude for allowing me this privilege of becoming the next president and for the confidence you’re placing in me,” Olian said. “I can tell you it’s quite daunting to be following in the indelible footsteps of Lahey and very excited to be joining you in building this next phase of a very special university.”

Olian has a proven record of growing academia as the dean and John E. Anderson Chair in Management at UCLA. Under her leadership, UCLA Anderson increased gender diversity among faculty and students and Olian has proven herself as a successful fundraiser, having attracted $400 million in philanthropic support during her tenure, according to a release by the Quinnipiac. While Olian served as dean at UCLA Anderson, the school also introduced new degree programs and expanded current ones as well as adding new research centers.

“I can’t wait to work with this passionately engaged community as partners in advancing the future and vision that builds on its institution’s already amazing accomplishments and to serve as a model university to other universities in important sectors of the higher educations industries and for the 21st century,” Olian said.

Olian said what attracted her to Quinnipiac is the university’s societally important vision and how the school meets societal needs.

“Many graduates, mature graduates, are struggling to align what they know and learned with where their jobs or industries are headed,” Olian said. “That’s the need, to bridge those gaps and that is where Quinnipiac shines.” She said this is accomplished by building in students a strong foundation in arts and humanities education and then fostering the development of technical skills.

At UCLA, Olian was known for her commitment to academic excellence and as a strong advocate for gender equality, the release said. In response to how she would increase diversity on campus and create belonging for students, Olian said the university needs to foster inclusivity of every background — economic, ethnic, gender — and that creating diversity means taking a comprehensive look at culture, celebrating differences while being ready for tough discussions.

“(Quinnipiac) has shown its bold ambition time and again and nimbleness to change and adapt that few institutions can demonstrate,” she said. “It has a thirst for relevance,” noting the university’s national recognition and visibility. “It has untapped opportunity in new fields, in new regions in the United States and internationally.”

“As a very strong female, I’m excited to see a female leader for the university,” women’s lacrosse student-athlete Allison Kuhn said. “I’m excited to see where she’ll take all facets of the university. Athletics is a huge part of what’s getting Quinnipiac recognition so I’m glad to see she supports that. I understand she doesn’t know exactly what her plans are until she fully immerses herself in the community.”

Olian said she is admiring of the people, programs and buildings that are already established and hopes to build on an already successful university.

“My first priority will be to dig deep into the sources of excellence of Quinnipiac to advance them and see where individuals see opportunities,” she said. “This is not an institution that needs fixing.”

Addressing how she plans to work with the towns of Hamden and North Haven, Olian said she’s committed to building a healthy relationship with officials and the communities.

“We live in a community that is intimately partnered with the university and the health of Hamden and North Haven is very co-dependent with the university and vice versa,” Olian said. “It’s important we have a close dialogue and to have our students engaged in the well being of the community. I fully expect to have those discussions and for it to be a full fledged partnership.”

“The idea of having a new president is exciting,” Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Mary Paddock said. “That’s no comment on our current president but a lot of people don’t know Quinnipiac without him. I’ve lived in the area for many years and watched it grow from afar and there’s been a lot for emphasis on growth. I look for more emphasis on culture, community and history of the school.”

“Her leadership and accomplishments as the dean of the Anderson graduate school of business as well as her leadership at Penn State really prepared her well to take Quinnipiac to the next level,” said Bill Weldon, Quinnipiac University board of trustees and presidential search committee chairman.

In November, Weldon said the search committee had narrowed the candidate pool to two women and three men. They employed the search firm Spencer Stuart to review more than 150 candidate profiles from higher education, nonprofits and industry with a wide range of backgrounds.

Lahey has served as president for the past 31 years, during which time he expanded Quinnipiac from a college to a university in 2001 with a college of arts and sciences and eight professional schools, including the School of Law, the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine and the newest addition, the School of Engineering. His strategic plan has also resulted in the growth of student enrollment from 2,000 students in 1987 to nearly 10,000 students today and saw the school’s acreage grow to encompass three campuses.

“We wish Dr. Judy Olian the best of luck as she build on the success forged by our students, faculty and staff, working with the Quinnipiac community to move our institution to even greater levels of achievement,” Lahey said in a release.

He also established the nationally recognized Quinnipiac University Poll and Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum. He is assisted by the university cabinet and the academic deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and eight professional schools.

Olian acknowledged the dedicated work of Lahey and how he has grown the university, but also noted “there’s tremendous opportunity, untapped opportunity,” in the school. “You don’t want to go to an institution where it’s all done. You want to also have an opportunity for the future.”